Rose42

Doesn't matter what I like, it only matters what's true. I have read that one.

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

I admire many Christians I don't agree with... MacArthur for example... A Baptist evangelical... And an amazing man...

It's Strobbels techniques I disagree with.. As they didn't follow a neutral investigative procedure...

Regardless...

I've read Blade's post... There are some fallacies in it... As he himself is aware... We've discussed the probability one several times....

I find it amusing that he claims atheists use logic fallacies, then goes on to use a few himself... Still, much of what he states is accurate...

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

Do you agree with it???

Compellingtruths is a very decent site... In my opinion

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Canuckus, I, personally, do not at this particular moment in time, care in the least about either the precise time, or whether the cave was open or closed, however...

The Scripture is the Word of God given by inspiration to men chosen by God, who wrote in human words in history, reflecting their individual personalities. This dual nature of both divine inspiration and human context makes the interpretation both challenging and necessary.

The Holy Spirit guided these inspired authors of His Holy Word to employ linguistical devices appropriate to the historical setting and culture in which they lived.

The Bible as the Word of God has eternal relevance that demands 1) attention and 2) obedience.

When critics of the Bible claim there are contradictions within its pages, they very often fail to define a contradiction, to examine the context and to properly apply the Law of non-contradiction.

In logic, the law of non-contradiction (LNC) (also known as the law of contradiction, principle of non-contradiction (PNC), or the principle of contradiction) states that contradictory propositions cannot both be true in the same sense at the same time, e. g. the two propositions "A is B" and "A is not B" are mutually exclusive. Formally this is expressed as the tautology ¬(p ∧ ¬p).

Because the principle of non-contradiction is a metaphysical law of being, not a principle limited to particular essences (natures), it applies to all possible things, even those transcending physical reality.

According to Aristotle, first philosophy, or metaphysics, deals with ontology and first principles, of which the principle (or law) of non-contradiction is the firmest. Aristotle says that without the principle of non-contradiction we could not know anything that we do know.

A contradiction occurs when two (or more) different statements on a topic cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense. The statements "I am preparing my homework," and "I am not preparing my homework" cannot both be true at the same time and in the same way. They are mutually exclusive.

However, "Norman saw two people exit the vintage 1972 blue Chevrolet Camaro," and "Bernard saw three people exit the vintage 1972 blue Chevrolet Camaro" are not contradictory: These statements are not mutually exclusive because both statements can be equally true at the same time.

Norman may have been at an angle where he was able to observe only two people, while Bernard was at a different angle enabling him to see three people. Thus, both statements can be true at the same time and in the same sense with neither excluding the other.

Acts 10 and Acts 11 are excellent examples of where the first chapter tells the story for narration purposes and the second is in "orderly sequence."

Do the Gospels disagree on who discovered the empty tomb?

New Testament critics often suggest that the gospels present contradictory narratives regarding Jesus' resurrection. One such rather weak argument involves the detail of who it was that discovered Jesus' empty tomb.

The claim is that each gospel lists a different set of women and that the story, therefore, cannot be trusted. This argument, however, breaks down on the slightest examination. While each of the four gospels includes unique details on the matter, they all are perfectly consistent with one another on who it was who first found the stone rolled away and the body of Jesus missing. The gospels are definitely in agreement on this.

Compare the following verses; the list of names provided in each gospel of which women arrived at the tomb that Sunday morning:

"Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb," (John 20:1).

"Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave," (Matthew 28:1).

"When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him," (Mark 16:1).

Luke does not list the names at this point in the story. Instead, he just mentions "the women who had come with Him out of Galilee," (Luke 23:49, 55) and states that:

"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared," (Luke 24:1).

However, he later clarifies:

"Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles," (Luke 24:10).

Without any deep meditation at all, it is clear that these are not entirely different lists but rather longer or shorter versions of the same list. One gospel may have more names than another, but they don't have conflicting names. Some critics specifically argue that John implies that Mary Magdalene was alone, but even this isn't actually true! While hers is the only name given, we read in literally the very next verse:

"So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, 'They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him,'" (John 20:2).

Mary doesn't say "I" but rather "'we' do not know where they have laid him." She is clearly speaking on behalf of a group. While John does not explicitly mention the other women, he plainly assumes that they were there. Thus, when we compare these lists, a few things become immediately apparent:

1) All four gospels state that women came to Jesus' tomb early in the morning.
2) All four gospels state that Mary Magdalene was among them.
3) Three of the four gospels explicitly mention that another woman named Mary was also there.
4) Three of the four gospels imply or explicitly acknowledge that other women besides the two Marys were
also present.
5) None of the gospels claim or imply that they are offering an exhaustive list.

The gospels are actually in complete harmony on this matter. One author might have known more names than another. One author may have had a specific reason for emphasizing one particular woman over the others. There is no conflict between these verses, they are all communicating the same thing!

Rather than an example of a contradiction, this is a minor example of the gospel's eye witnesses reporting the same event in slightly different words without any disagreement at all.

No mountain, hardly a mole-hill.

Go ye and do likewise. With prayer, study, and reliance upon the Holy Spirit, you are more than competent to resolve your questions in God's Word.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Hi Rose,

I, personally, have found it humanly impossible to completely forget my more grievious past transgressions, but I do rest in God's assurance that He has forgotten it.

Paul tells us plainly that there is "now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). He also says that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (II Corinthians 5:17).

Deuteronomy 1:32
"But in spite of all this, you did not trust the LORD your God,"

If we condemn ourself after receiving the grace and forgiveness of Christ, we are denying any faith in the promises of God and are crucifying the Son of God afresh (Hebrews 6:6).

An especially relevant passage to this subject is Hebrews 4:3-6:

3. "For only we who believe can enter His rest. As for the others, God said, "In my anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter My place of rest,'" even though this rest has been ready since He made the world.
4. "We know it is ready because in Genesis it mentions the seventh day: 'On the seventh day God rested from all His work.'"
5. "But in the other passage God said, 'They will never enter my place of rest.'"
6. "So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God."

In these verses, the writer speaks of God’s promised "rest." The "rest" of which he speaks is the rest of forgiveness and salvation in Christ.

We enter into God's "rest" in this life, by fully embracing God’s grace through faith. We find "rest" when we trust God that all our sins have been washed away. We must trust and believe God when He says He has separated us from our sins as far as the East is from the West.

Psalm 103:12
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from
us. ... As far as the east is from the west, so far has He put our sins from us."

Romans 3:3
"What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?"

Remember Isaiah 55:8-9 always:

8. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord."
9. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

Beautifully put...

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Hi Rumi,

I believe your opening salvo of intent requires interpretation more than it requires "backup."

Your "theological" objections to the idea of "self-forgiveness" is a matter of semantics. You claim that there are no Scriptures anywhere in the Old or New Testaments that speak of "forgiving yourself."

You would, however, agree that there are many passages referring to the sin of unbelief. Are these not two different ways of saying the same thing?

Even more compelling are the verses that command us to operate with a "clear conscience."

Is not maintaining a "clear conscience" synonymous with "forgiving ourselves?"

Hebrews 13:18 "Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things."

1st Timothy 1:19: "keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith."

Acts 24:16: "In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men."

2nd Timothy 1:3 "I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day."


If it was not possible to do so, God would not have so commanded us.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Just a minor point of interdenominational correctness, Canuckus; John MacArthur is a Presbyterian... though his teachings are remarkably compatible with Baptist Theology... presumably, because both adhere to the Word of God.

He even believes in the Rapture, which is highly unPresbyterian in doctrine.

The only subject on which I disagree with him is Calvin, John, i.e., Calvinism.

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

Another beautiful post... Amen

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

Interesting... I was introduced to him by a Baptist friend and simply assumed he was also Baptist... I must admit that in all of his works I've read I've never noticed that bit of information...

A superb man and great teacher no matter his denomination... Thank you for educating me

Big Dolly

I don't know if we can forgive ourselves per se, but by accepting Christ's forgiveness, we are forgiving ourselves, in an indirect way.

Big Dolly

By the way, everybody, I almost forgot to mention that the RiteAid Drug Store, the one that burned during last June's rioting in Sacramento, is OPEN! Thanks for all of your prayers, each and every one of you! I can't say it often enough:
PRAYER IS POWERFUL!!!

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

It is truly our God who answers our prayers that is all powerful.

Marty 2020 Loc: Banana Republic of Kalifornia

Name them.

Marty 2020 Loc: Banana Republic of Kalifornia

Wow!
Inspired!
I pray that someday I’ll be able to explain it thoroughly like that.
Well put.
God bless.